Cash handling apparatuses are used for distributing and/or depositing cash, such as coins, bills and cheques.
One example of a cash handling apparatus is a cash distributing apparatus or automatic teller machine (ATM—known as Bankomat® in Sweden), which allows a user to automatically withdraw cash from e.g. a bank account and receive bills for the amount withdrawn. Another example is a cash deposit apparatus, which is used for depositing cash in the form of bills and/or coins to e.g. a bank account. Both kinds of apparatuses are typically stand-alone apparatuses which are used on a self-service basis by an arbitrary user. A cash deposit apparatus will be used in the following as a non-limiting example of a cash handling apparatus.
When using a typical cash deposit apparatus, a user places his cash in a cash reception area, whereby the cash deposit apparatus will count the cash, typically while discriminating the cash that is deposited, so as to only accept cash of certain predetermined type(s), while rejecting any other type of cash. The cash that is accepted is typically evaluated and counted, so as to determine the amount of cash that is deposited. Since the typical cash deposit apparatus is used on a self-service basis by an untrained user, the apparatus is provided with a user interface (man-machine interface) which is designed to facilitate operation of the apparatus by the user.
The user interface typically includes a display and a keypad, and, often, a printer, a speaker and a card reader. These elements of the user interface are controlled from a controller in the apparatus, such as a personal computer (PC) or another kind of microprocessor-based control system.
The keypad is typically a PIN-type keypad, having keys similar to those found on a telephone handset, for instance digits 0-9, “*”, “#” as well as e.g. Backspace, Cancel and OK. In addition to this, there is often provided a functional-key-type keypad in the form of a set of functional keys having different predetermined functions in the various operating modes of the apparatus. Such functions keys are often positioned next to the display, for instance in two rows at either sides of the display.
Since the majority of all users of a typical cash deposit apparatus will use the apparatus in a standing position, the elements of the user interface are located at positions which are conveniently accessible from such a standing position. However, for people in wheelchairs and other handicapped individuals, such locations of the elements of the user interface may be less convenient.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 discloses a fuel dispensing apparatus which has been adapted for use by handicapped individuals by the provision of dual card readers and associated dual keypads. One of the card readers and one of the keypads are located at a vertically lower position than the other card reader and keypad. Thus, a handicapped individual may operate the fuel dispensing apparatus through the lower card reader and keypad in a position which is conveniently accessible from e.g. a wheelchair.
While U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 satisfies the need for providing access to a fuel dispensing apparatus for handicapped individuals, it nevertheless has some shortcomings that prevents full application of its teachings to a cash handling apparatus.
Firstly, both keypads in U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 include a set of PIN-type keys as well as a set of functional keys. While this may be appropriate in gas station environments which are typically outdoors with plenty of available space, it may pose a drawback in typical environments for cash handling apparatuses. More specifically, a cash handling apparatus is often used indoors at a location where floor space is limited. Thus, when trying to design cash handling apparatuses with a small foot print, two full-scale keypads may be difficult to accommodate.
Secondly, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 the two keypads are not true copies of each other. They do not have the same two-dimensional layout (rows and columns of keys), and certain keys are unique to one of the keypads and have no correspondence in the other keypad. To this end, an interface board, to which both keypads are connected, is designed to discriminate between input data from the two keypads and to attach identification information to the data so as to indicate the original source of the data. This identification information may be further used by a controller upon receipt of the input data from the interface board. The solution according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,893 has a drawback in that is represents a somewhat costly approach. Both the design of the keypads themselves and the circuitry for handling the aforedescribed input data discrimination add on to the total cost for the user interface. It is generally desired to design a cash handling apparatus with as minimal component costs as possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,359 discloses a similar solution. An automated banking transaction machine has a front customer panel (FIG. 32) including a plurality of vertically aligned user interfaces suitable for use in a drive-up environment for servicing customers in vehicles of varying height. Each user interface includes a full set of i/o devices in the form of a display, a keypad with alphanumeric keys and functional keys, and a card reader. A user selects one of the user interfaces by inserting a card in the associated card reader. Then, the transaction is carried out through the particular user interface thus selected. Hence, this is an expensive solution with many interface components, only a few of which are used for carrying out each particular transaction.